Southern China - Location unknown
September 5th.
A notification. A message on an old account - one she hadn't touched in over six months. Normally she'd just ignore it, but this one stood out. Separate from the countless job offers and contracts. Ashley hadn't spent the time since the fall of the Directory sitting around, but most of it had become a blur of violence and the occasional smiling face. A businessman approaching her in the ruins of Beijing and asking who she worked for. Mercenaries following her. Fighting for her. With her. They felt her rage and became one with it, sweeping cities clear of the monsters that tried to prey on those too weak to defend themselves. She'd made a small fortune off of her own violent urges, achieved a position some would give everything to merely grasp at.
And despite all that, she hated it. Hated fighting day in day out. Hated that she could barely remember anything besides the violence she inflicted. Hated that she had to pay someone to even keep track who was who in her own organisation. But above all that she hated the man who had put her on this path. His face still stayed strong in her mind, and seeing his name in a message brought all those horrifying memories back to the forefront. Faded, but never truly gone.
The name stirred faint memories. A colleague? A friend? Something familiar. It was on the edge of her mind... a blur just short of any real information. One thing stood out, though. She could trust this. Lingering fond memories that slid out of her grasp when she reached for them, remaining forever out of reach. And the coordinates lead to a real location. On the fringes of the DEC forest she'd visited a few times before.
But doing it alone would be suicide. She remembered a battleship... her first failed attempt on his life. The Shaurus she'd apparently commissioned was a capable backup, strong enough to survive while lending her fire support. A couple of them could distract whatever escorts Dylan had. Buy her time for the killing blow he so sorely deserved. They looked up to her - enough would come at the mere suggestion she needed help. Enough that she'd need to limit her numbers. This was going to be risky, and sacrificing others for her own petty revenge... she'd be no better than Him.
"I'm looking for volunteers to help with a personal matter. I can't guarantee any payment or reward beyond salvage, though. As for the mission..."
For the first time in months, Ashley smiled.
"Same as always. We're going to be killing a monster."
September 5th.
A notification. A message on an old account - one she hadn't touched in over six months. Normally she'd just ignore it, but this one stood out. Separate from the countless job offers and contracts. Ashley hadn't spent the time since the fall of the Directory sitting around, but most of it had become a blur of violence and the occasional smiling face. A businessman approaching her in the ruins of Beijing and asking who she worked for. Mercenaries following her. Fighting for her. With her. They felt her rage and became one with it, sweeping cities clear of the monsters that tried to prey on those too weak to defend themselves. She'd made a small fortune off of her own violent urges, achieved a position some would give everything to merely grasp at.
And despite all that, she hated it. Hated fighting day in day out. Hated that she could barely remember anything besides the violence she inflicted. Hated that she had to pay someone to even keep track who was who in her own organisation. But above all that she hated the man who had put her on this path. His face still stayed strong in her mind, and seeing his name in a message brought all those horrifying memories back to the forefront. Faded, but never truly gone.
Subject: DYLAN
He's finally gone too far. DAMONs. He's turning people into DAMONs. I don't know if you're still out there, but something has to be done.
Coordinates are attached. If you want to kill him, this is your best shot.
-Katri.
He's finally gone too far. DAMONs. He's turning people into DAMONs. I don't know if you're still out there, but something has to be done.
Coordinates are attached. If you want to kill him, this is your best shot.
-Katri.
But doing it alone would be suicide. She remembered a battleship... her first failed attempt on his life. The Shaurus she'd apparently commissioned was a capable backup, strong enough to survive while lending her fire support. A couple of them could distract whatever escorts Dylan had. Buy her time for the killing blow he so sorely deserved. They looked up to her - enough would come at the mere suggestion she needed help. Enough that she'd need to limit her numbers. This was going to be risky, and sacrificing others for her own petty revenge... she'd be no better than Him.
"I'm looking for volunteers to help with a personal matter. I can't guarantee any payment or reward beyond salvage, though. As for the mission..."
For the first time in months, Ashley smiled.
"Same as always. We're going to be killing a monster."